The present invention relates to vending machines and more particularly relates to vending machines that dispense both hot and cold products.
Vending machines traditionally dispense either a heated product or a cold product, but not both. This is generally due to the expense involved in having both a heated space and a chilled space. Although such vending machines do exist, known machines require insulation between the respective compartments. The use of a heating device, a chilling device, and extra insulation, however, adds to the cost of the vending machine as a whole and limits the number of products that may be stored therein.
Another drawback with heated vending machines is that the products therein generally have a relatively short shelf life. For example, chilled products, such as chilled beverages, may have a xe2x80x9cshelf lifexe2x80x9d in the vending machine of several months. A heated product, such as a heated beverage, however, only may have a shelf life of several days or weeks. The vending machine may need to be restocked often. Given that the sale of certain products may be seasonal, it may be difficult to keep an adequate stock of fresh products in the machine.
There is a desire, therefore, for a vending machine that can adequately store and vend both hot and cold products. Such a vending machine preferably should be easy to use and be reasonable in terms of the cost of use and the cost of manufacturing.
The present invention thus provides a vending machine for dispensing a first number of products and a second number of products. The vending machine may include a product compartment. The product compartment may include a first column with the first products and a second column with the second products. A dispensing path may be positioned about the product compartment so as to dispense the first products without heating. A heating device may be positioned adjacent to the product compartment for heating the second products. A positioning device may be positioned about the second column to maneuver the second products to the heating device and the dispensing path so as to dispense the second products as heated.
Specific embodiments may include a dispensing path with one or more internal chutes. The internal chutes may be positioned under the first column of the product compartment. The dispensing path may include one or more external chutes. The internal chutes may be in communication with the external chutes. The product compartment may include a number of first columns and a number of second columns.
The positioning device may include a conveyor positioned under the second column of the product compartment. The positioning device may include a gully positioned adjacent to the conveyor. The gully may include a first end and a second end. The positioning device may include a pushing device. The pushing device may be positioned for pushing one of the second products from the first end to the second end of the gully. The pushing device may include a lever mounted on a rotating arm. The heating device may be positioned adjacent to the second end of the gully such that the pushing device may push one of the second products into the heating device.
The heating device may include a product heating compartment. The positioning device may include a rotating door. The rotating door may be positioned about the product heating compartment. The rotating door may include a product support positioned thereon. The dispensing path may include one or more internal chutes positioned adjacent to the heating device. The internal chutes may include a rotating plate. The rotating plate may be positioned adjacent to the rotating door such that the rotating door may maneuver one of the second products from the product heating chamber to the internal chutes via the rotating plate.
The present invention may further provide a vending machine for providing a number of products. The vending machine may include a product compartment for storing the products. The vending machine may include a microwave device for heating some of the products. The vending machine also may include a dispensing chute and a positioning device for transporting some of the products from the product compartment, to the microwave device, and to the dispensing chute. The positioning device may include a rotating member so as to rotate some of the products into the microwave device and to the dispensing chute.
The present invention may further provide a vending machine for dispensing a first number of products and a second number of products via one or more external chutes. The vending machine may include a product compartment, a heating device positioned about the product compartment, and a dispensing path positioned about the product compartment. The dispensing path may direct the first number of products into the heating device and into one of the external chutes. The dispensing path also may direct the second number of products into one of the external chutes. The vending machine further may include a refrigeration device in communication with the product compartment for chilling the products. The heating device may include a microwave device.
The present invention may further provide a vending machine for dispensing a first number of products and a second number of products. The vending machine may include a product compartment for chilling the products. The product compartment may include a first number of columns for the first products and a second number of columns for the second products. The vending machine may include a dispensing chute positioned under the first columns such that the first products may fall therein. The vending machine also may include a heating device positioned under the second columns so as to heat the second products and a positioning device to maneuver the second products into the heating device and into the dispensing chute.
A method of the present invention may provide for vending a first number of products and a second number of products from a vending machine. The method may include the steps of chilling the products. In response to a request for a cold product, the method may provide for dispensing one of the first products. In response to a request for a hot product, the method may provide for maneuvering one of the second products into a heating device and dispensing the second product.
Other features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the embodiments when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.